Paul relishes 'timeless' honor at Wake Forest

Former Wake Forest star Chris Paul waves to the crowd during halftime of Saturday's game while accompanied by his wife, Jada Paul, and his son, Christopher Emmanuel Paul II.

The Associated Press

By Conor O'Neill / Times-News

Published: Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 12:47 AM.

WINSTON-SALEM — Chris Paul has had plenty of opportunities to change the area code for his cell phone number.

But the Los Angeles Clippers point guard and former Wake Forest star has never strayed from three familiar digits, and said he never will.

“It seems like it’s a small thing but for me, it’s a lot,” Paul said. “Like, your phone number, it could be whatever you want, but for me I’ll always keep a 336 number.”

That was one of the overlying themes when Paul spoke ahead of Saturday’s game against Maryland, when his No. 3 jersey was retired by Wake Forest. Paul was drafted fourth overall in the 2005 NBA Draft after spending two seasons with the Demon Deacons.

The six-time NBA All-Star, who played at West Forsyth High School, was clearly in a comfort zone at Joel Coliseum during his visit.

“I’m fortunate enough, this is home. So I’ll always come back to Wake and Wake will always be a part of me,” Paul said.

Paul was in awe of the banner honoring his retired jersey — unfurled at halftime — because of a couple factors. One such factor, and by far the most emotional, was the location of the new fixture in the rafters.

WINSTON-SALEM — Chris Paul has had plenty of opportunities to change the area code for his cell phone number.

But the Los Angeles Clippers point guard and former Wake Forest star has never strayed from three familiar digits, and said he never will.

“It seems like it’s a small thing but for me, it’s a lot,” Paul said. “Like, your phone number, it could be whatever you want, but for me I’ll always keep a 336 number.”

That was one of the overlying themes when Paul spoke ahead of Saturday’s game against Maryland, when his No. 3 jersey was retired by Wake Forest. Paul was drafted fourth overall in the 2005 NBA Draft after spending two seasons with the Demon Deacons.

The six-time NBA All-Star, who played at West Forsyth High School, was clearly in a comfort zone at Joel Coliseum during his visit.

“I’m fortunate enough, this is home. So I’ll always come back to Wake and Wake will always be a part of me,” Paul said.

Paul was in awe of the banner honoring his retired jersey — unfurled at halftime — because of a couple factors. One such factor, and by far the most emotional, was the location of the new fixture in the rafters.

Looking up to ceiling of the arena from the court, Paul’s banner is the second-in from the right. On the right of Paul’s banner hangs a picture of Paul’s coach at Wake Forest, the late Skip Prosser.

“Coach Prosser, he’s the one who made all this happen,” Paul said. “It’s hard for me to talk about him anyway because I get emotional, but he’s my guy. He knows it and I’m not here without him.”

Another less emotional — but still thought-provoking — aspect of Paul’s commemoration was that he joined the names of Wake Forest legends.

Not to worry, though. The 27-year-old knows well what it means to be in the same classification as those who already have jerseys retired.

“This is it, this is right there at the top of the best days of my life. It’s timeless, it’s something that no one can ever take away from you,” Paul said. “Warming up before the game, you saw Dickie Hemric, then Len Chappell, Randolph Childress, Tim Duncan.

“I remember when I first got to school, the first thing I did was I went to the record books. I wanted to see what records I could break. But the thing that’s timeless is your number or that picture of you hanging up there … will always be there.”

Paul said he hadn’t been to a game since leaving Wake Forest. He sat courtside during Saturday’s game and spent the majority of the game corralling his 3-year-old son, Chris Paul II.

In fact, the younger Paul was possibly watching not only the team of his father’s past, but of his own future.

“It’s funny … probably the coolest baby gift that we got when my son was born was from Mr. Wellman, he sent a letter of intent,” Paul said, referring to Ron Wellman (the university’s athletics director). “Seriously, that’s probably the coolest gift that I ever got.

“And we still have it, we have it at our house in LA. It’s little Chris’ letter of intent to go to Wake Forest. I need to tell Mr. Wellman … because I have that and I’m going to keep it and I will be sure to cash in. Because I know tuition is going up every year.”